


A ghost and a vampire

by Mierke



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-14
Updated: 2015-11-14
Packaged: 2018-05-01 14:09:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5208740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mierke/pseuds/Mierke
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Willow goes to Giles for help, but doesn't find who she is looking for.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A ghost and a vampire

**Author's Note:**

  * For [spuffy_luvr](https://archiveofourown.org/users/spuffy_luvr/gifts).



> Set during Halloween (2.6), an AU in which Giles also got his costume from Ethan's (I'm assuming here that Ethan had someone working the register and wasn't always in the shop himself).

Willow made her way to Giles, going as fast as she could. Floating through solid rock was surprisingly fun, and despite the dire situation she was secretly looking forward to scaring Giles with a loud _Boo!_

As she noticed the chaos around her, though, all happy thoughts pretty much vanished from her mind. Sunnydale was a mess, and it was not pretty. Half the people were running away, the other half was chasing them. She was sure there was some rhyme or reason to what was happening, but she needed another brain to figure it out. Sunnydale without Buffy was a scary place, and she was not looking forward to experiencing it much longer.

When she finally came to the library, it was her who got the scare. Giles was bent over some girl, his mouth at her neck as if he was trying to bite her.

“Giles!” she screamed, but he didn’t look up or gave any clue he’d even noticed her screaming his name. “Giles!”

She took in his outfit, and realised he wasn’t wearing his normal attire. She didn’t remember him saying anything about dressing up, but it seemed like he had decided to do so anyway. Which meant...

“Giles!” she screamed again, despair coursing through her as she realised that she had no way to defend herself or the poor girl who was trapped underneath him. She couldn’t even pick up a cross to scare him off.

In a frantic attempt to do _something_ she opted to float right through them. The girl shivered violently, which, coupled with Giles’ shock at what had happened, got her free from the vampire. She ran away without a backwards glance.

“Listen to me,” Willow said, her eyes on Giles to ensure he kept his attention on her. She was pretty sure ghosts were safe from vampires (after all, no blood); but while she was probably in no danger, Giles needed someone to look out for him. She had to make sure that, when all this was over, Giles wouldn’t have murder on his conscience.

She couldn’t exactly use that reasoning on the being in front of her now, though. Based on her experience with the others, she figured Giles would have just as little knowledge of who he was as soldier Xander or Lady Buffy.

What did vampires care about?

“I know the Slayer!” she blurted, using the first thing that came to mind and praying she wouldn’t have to actually introduce them before whatever was going on was resolved.

“The Slayer, hmm?”

Giles’ voice sounded weird coming from this creature.

“You help me, I help you. Does that sound fair?” Willow asked, forcing her voice to sound calm, collected and stern. She wasn’t sure this version of Giles would be of any help, but she couldn’t leave him alone.

“I can find the Slayer myself,” the vampire said, turning towards the door, but before he could leave the library Willow rushed through him again.

The vampire growled at her, and Willow had to tamper down her fear. She was a ghost. She was in no danger at all.

Taking a deep breath, she said: “It’s chaos out there. No way you will find her in this mess. It’s Halloween, and people everywhere are turning into their costumes. Well, apart from the ones who are not.”

“How about the Slayer?” the vampire asked.

“Buffy’s turned into a proper lady, we all bought our costumes together...” she trailed off. “That must be it! Something must be going on at Ethan’s.”

“Come with me,” she said, desperately hoping that she had made enough of an impression on the vampire for him to follow her. To her surprise, he did, and together they made their way to the costume shop. She kept up the pace, hoping that she could keep him from becoming too distracted and snacking on any passers-by.

The closer they came to the shop, the lower the amount of everyday people they met. They were on the right track.

“It’s here,” she said. “You wanted some Slayer blood? Follow me.”

Together they entered the shop, and made their way to the back room. There they found a statue, one that Willow didn’t immediately recognise.

“Well, well, well,” she heard a voice, and she spun around to find a man standing there. “If it isn’t Ripper himself. How are you doing, old chum?”

The vampire launched himself at the man, and Willow was too confused by this turn of events (did Giles know this guy? And what was Ripper for weird nickname?) to immediately react. Out of instinct she jumped out of the way when the two men tumbled towards her, crashing into the statue. The vampire lifted Ethan up, and smashed him onto the ground, smashing the statue in the process.

Willow woke up in front of the house where she had first seen the kids turning into little monsters. Shaking off her disorientation, she got up and rushed towards Ethan’s, not leaving herself any time to celebrate until she was sure that Giles was okay.

“Giles!” she yelled as she entered the shop, and a tired, but alive, “In here!” sounded from the backroom. She found him sitting on the ground, dust from the statue everywhere and some bruises already forming.

“Thank you,” he said, and before Willow could ask why, he continued: “You saved that girl from me. I don’t think I could have lived with another death on my conscience.”

Too dumbstruck to ask for an explanation, Willow watched Giles leave the shop. There was a story there, but she wasn’t sure she truly wanted to find out.

“You’re welcome,” she said into the nothingness.


End file.
